He got so excited every time he saw her around the hotel after that! It was about 6pm and we were tired after the flight, so after a quick play in the park we retreated to our room where a big Jacuzzi bath kept the boys busy until they collapsed into their massive king size bed! The following morning we made our way to the breakfast buffet that was so overwhelming (in the best way possible) that we made about 6 trips up the counters! Fresh fruit, yoghurts, smoothies, ham, cheese, fresh breads, pastries, cakes, donuts, omelettes, pancakes, waffles, bacon, sausages, sandwiches and even kebabs were available. I didn’t know where to start! We found our favourite table next to the kid’s pool and playpark and made it our regular spot all week. The friendly waiters got to know us and would bring over our coffees and freshly squeezed apple juice for the boys before we’d even sat down. It was our first time staying in an all-inclusive hotel with our boys and we’ve always liked to think of ourselves as more adventurous travellers but we kept saying, ‘I can’t believe we haven’t done this before!
Such hotels may decide to avoid being rated at all by tourist boards – although crucially, such poor accommodation cannot sidestep the all-important customer review (see below). Is five the magic number? When it comes to star ratings for hotels, five has become the norm. However, Frommer’s hotel rating system only goes up to three, so the famous Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, for instance, may have a five-star official rating, but only a three-star rubber-stamp from Frommers. UK hotels are rated to the same Common Quality Standards by various tourist boards and their partners. The downside is that to get rated a hotel must undergo a secret inspection – and pay for the service. And not every hotel takes up this offer – not least because to achieve a single star, a hotel must offer breakfast and a TV in every bedroom (which not all do). What about 7-star hotels? In recent decades some hotels have been billed as “7-star” options – such as the Burj Al Arab in Dubai.
First, is your home in an area zoned for business? What type of business can you operate from your home? Check out your local zoning ordinances to make sure you don’t have to get any special permits or licensing, or have any restrictions on what you can do from your home. For example, if your business requires clients or customers to come to your home then parking may be an issue. Check it out before you get too far into things. There are also the obvious tax issues of operating a business (or simply working) from your home. If you want to claim a home office, the IRS has stiffened the requirements to the point that you can’t use that space for anything other than your work. So, if you’re working from your dining room table then you probably can’t take that home office deduction. There are some exceptions (like for home childcare, etc.), so contact your tax accountant or attorney to find out the law as it pertains to your situation. What are the advantages and disadvantages? While the advantages of working from a home/virtual office may seem obvious to you — more freedom, more flexibility, the opportunity to be at home with your kids — there are probably even more benefits that you haven’t thought of. Here are a few. These lists can certainly go on. Your job is to identify the disadvantages that apply to your business and turn them into advantages. Seek outside assistance if you need it. You may need the knowledge of a professional, especially initially, to really make this work. Through good planning, communication, and outside technical support when needed, your virtual office can succeed and help foster future virtual businesses. How has technology changed the way we conduct business?
To steer destination development. To increase tourism influx. To spread the benefits of tourism. To reduce tourism impacts on environment and local culture. To promote and market the country ultimately for tourism. Accommodation providers who provide serviced and non-serviced accommodations such as hotels, bed and breakfast, self-catering establishments, holiday caravans, and camping sites. Attraction managers who provide maintenance of attractions, museums, galleries, countryside sites, boat trips, and walking tours. Food and beverage providers such as restaurants, pubs, and cafes. Retail outlets such as specialty and independent shops, and shopping centers. Transport operators such as surface and air transport providers. Public sector organizations such as state services for availing licenses and permissions. It is an independent, non-profit organization. It is a membership-based organization comprising public, private, non-profit, and academic tourism stakeholders from the region. It is governed by a board of directors. It has diverse set of revenue generation from membership fees, hotel taxes, retail opportunities, online booking commissions, advertising in publications and websites.
